2 HERMES TRISMEGISTUS. 



4. Speaking this, he was changed in the form (a), and 

 immediately all things were disclosed to me in a moment ; 

 and I see a spectacle indefinable, all things having become 

 light, more pleasant and joyous, and having beheld I was 

 gladdened (6) ; and, after a little, darkness was brought down 

 in part having become dreadful and horrible, sinuously ter- 

 minated (c), so that I imagined myself having seen the dark- 

 ness changed into a certain moist nature(cQ, unspeakably dis- 

 turbed, and giving forth smoke as if from fire, and emitting a 



/ certain sound ineffable, mournful. Then a noise from it was 

 inarticulately sent out, as I supposed(e) the voice of Light. 



5. From the Light a certain Holy Word descended upon 

 Nature, and a pure Fire l sprang forth from the moist nature 

 upwards on high. It was light and sharp and drastic also, 

 and the air being light followed The Spirit (/) ; it ascend- 

 ing up to the fire from land and water, so that it seemed 

 to be suspended from it. Earth and water remained 

 mingled in themselves so as not to be distinguished from 

 the water, and they were moved by The on-borne (g) 

 Spiritual Word 2 to hearing. 3 



6. Then the Poemandres to me, " Hast thou under- 

 stood " (A), He says, " this the spectacle and what it 

 means ? And I shall know," I said, " that the Light." He 

 said, " I am MIND, thy God, Who is before moist nature, 



(a) TYI fiix. (6) ypdiaQyiit. (c) 



(d) si; vypdv Ttvct Qvaiu. (e) a; 



(/) r<a KvevpotTt. See ch. iii., post. 

 (g) rov siritpspoftsvov wvevftetTtKov Ao'yov. (/&) 



1 It is to be observed, once for all, that the Greek word " ^up" 

 translated " Fire," may mean " Heat," whether visible or invisible. 

 Here it would appear to mean the fire of the Holy Creative Spirit. 



2 Compare Ps. civ. 30 : " Thou sendest forth Thy Spirit, they are 

 created; and Thou renewest the face of the earth." Also Genesis 

 i. 2: "And the earth was without form (dopxros, Septuagint) and 

 void (oix,oe,Ta,ax,tvet,aTog, unarranged, Sept.); and darkness upon the 

 face of the deep (Ina. 7% dfivaaw, Sept.) ; and the Spirit of God 

 moved upon the face of (kTrstp&psro IKKVU, Sept.) the water." This 

 description of the primitive Chaos closely resembles that of Plato in 

 " Timeeus," 53, which is too diffuse to be here quoted. 



3 See ch. iv. post, and note (1) there. 



